Canteen Romance?
by Storybookgirl77
Summary: Bren loves Tony and Tony loves Bren. So what is upsetting her? An ex husband? Wayward mother or is it more than that? Can Twink, Anita, Jane, Stan, Phillipa and Dolly help or is this canteen romance really on the rocks?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer - I don't own Dinnerladies. BBC television and the late, great Victoria Wood own all. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.

Summer

"Alright Bren?" Twinkle walked as Tony headed into his office. "Sad Man in? Only I wanted to have a quick fag before we do anything."

"Yeah."

"You alright? Cardiman keeping you awake?" Twinkle teased. Jean walked in.

"Not sleeping Bren? What's our Tony doing to you?"

"Nothing." Bren sighed.

"Bren?" She sighed as she walked out of the kitchen into the dining area. She began wiping tables and preparing the canteen for the day ahead. If things were going to change, if the canteen was to close then she'd make sure the girls from the offices and the lads from the shop floor remembered the canteen as the heart of the factory. She didn't want them thinking the place was dirty and outdated.

"Where's Bren?" Jean turned around as she realised Tony was watching from the office doorway.

"Out there."

"What's wrong, Tony? You've not upset her? Have you? Because you know she's a sensitive soul, our Bren."

"I've not upset her. Well, I don't think I have. Didn't mean to, dunno. She's quiet. Not herself. Might be fed up of me. Im old and boring. She might want a younger model. Has the veg man been?"

"You are hopeless! You've upset her and you don't even know how you've done it! And no, since you ask, the veg man hasn't been!" Jean threw a tea towel on the counter before heading off to the dining room.

Tony frowned. He felt sick. Something had upset his Bren and he had no idea what.

Xxxxx


	2. Chapter 2

Silent treatment

Bren scrubbed at the Formica tables, removing tea stains and marks left by various cups and plates. She focused solely on the task in hand knowing that Tony, Stan and the girls would be wondering what was wrong with her. Pausing she took a deep breath as she heard Jean behind her.

"You'll have the pattern off that."

"No patten on it anyway."

"See? You've already done it." Jean pulled a chair out before sitting down. "Tony is in his office, Twinkle is having a fag, I dread to think what Dolly is doing with those scales and Anita is making us all a brew. Glen will be here with the bread before long so you'll have to sign for it."

"Let Tony do it."

"Bren? What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. Nothing is the matter. Tables need wiping, so I'm wiping tables. Ok?"

"Has Tony upset you?"

"No." She paused. "Jean? Would you leave it please? Just let me be. Ok?"

"Ok luv." Jean squeezed her hand. "I'll go give the toaster a kick, see if that helps. But we're your friends Bren. Remember that. We care about you and Tony loves you."

Bren sighed.

"Ok, ok." The older woman turned, heading back to the kitchen as Tony emerged from his office. Jean shook her head.

"I dunno love." Jean paused. "She won't talk to me."

"That's not like her." Tony frowned, desperately wishing he still smoked. "I'm worried."

"What have you done?" Jean folded her arms.

"Nuffin." He paused, "Well, nothing bad. I asked her to marry me. She hadn't spoken to me since."

"Oh Tony." Jean smiled slightly. "Do you want to ? Is that what you really want? You and Bren, married? After all that Scotland thing was your idea but nothing came of it."

"Yes. I want us married and happy. I love her, Jean. I really do. Her leggings get on my wick, the way she gets words muddled up, the way she forgives her mother almost everything she's done. But I love her."

"And does she know this?" Twinkle asked as she returned to the kitchen. Tony shrugged.

"Blimey even Stan is better than you at all this. Go on Cardiman. Ask her proper; on one knee. All that malarkey!"

"Twink."

"You oldies are useless. Well, apart from Stan and Jean." Twinkle smiled as Jean swatted her away with a tea towel. A crash from the dining hall and Anita's screams brought them back to their senses. Tony moved first, closely followed by the girls.

"Bren?" Tony knelt next to her. "Bren? You alright?" He asked; trying not to panic as he pulled her into his arms.

Xxxxx

A/N please review


	3. Chapter 3

Shock

'Bren?" Tony whispered as she opened her eyes. Pale and looking decidedly nauseated she sat up, pushing him away.

"Hiya."

"Bren, what happened?" Tony helped her to her feet as Anita appeared from the main factory with Phillipa in tow.

"Oh Bren."

"I'm ok. Please just stop fussing. I can't bare fuss." Bren looked away.

"You should go home." Tony stated firmly.

"Go home? Why?"

"You fainted." Twinkle frowned. "Eh? Cardiman not got you up the duff? As he?"

Brenda suddenly looked paler than ever. Philippa shook her head as Jean and Dolly ushered the younger girls into the kitchen.

"Anita, you get the veg sorted. Twink, you get on the sink." Twinkle huffed as Dolly started issuing orders. Jean flicked a tea towel at the blonde woman as she pulled a face. Anita bit her lip

"Do you think Bren is ill?" Anita asked as the tears filled her eyes. She loved the bumbling canteen woman - looked up to her. Jean shrugged.

"Well, come on now." Jean ushered Anita towards the veg as Stan walked in. Jean raised a hand. "Stan! Now is not the time to blather on about bollards. Bren isn't well."

"I wasn't going to say anything about me bollards." Stan huffed. "I was going to ask what you want for your tea tonight? What's wrong with our Bren?"

"Dunno. On either count." Jean smiled at her husband. "Twink thinks she's pregnant."

"Could be." Anita nodded.

"No." Dolly shook her head. "Sex isn't all it's cracked up to be at our ages."

"Bren is younger than you. And Tony." Twinkle called. "She's only forty odd. Could still have a baby. Look at that Mick Jagger! Look at Ursula Andres."

"Ew." Anita shook her head. "Mick Jagger is old."

"He's a couple years older than me!" Dolly snapped. Stan kissed Jean's cheek before leaving the kitchen, telling her to think what she wanted from the shops for tea. She smiled slightly, knowing her first husband - now stuck in Cardiff with a dental hygienist would never have been so thoughtful.

Xxxxxxx

Bren lay on the trolley staring at the ceiling. She felt dizzy, nauseated and light headed. The medical bay was the last place she wanted to be.

"Bren." Philippa sat at her side. "You fainted. You never faint. Tony was really worried."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise, Bren." Philippa sat next to her. "Talk to him."

"I missed breakfast that's all. I think I'm on the change."

"Really? Aren't you too young?" Philippa asked. "I mean I'm two years older than you. I'm not there. Well, I don't think I am. Am I? How do you know?"

"You know. Things change." Bren waved her hand on the air. "Things. You know? Women's things."

"Oh."

"So that's why. Hormones."

"Oh." Philippa sighed. "Oh right. And you know this?"

"Because things have changed. You know P.e.r.i.o.d.s. Mine are non existent." Bren watched as Philippa raised an eyebrow as she blushed profusely.

"Really? Because you know they stop for other reasons." Philippa paused. "You are still young."

"Not really. Not like Anita and Twinkle. Or Jane."

"Take a pregnancy test. Is that's what worrying you? That Tony won't want to know?"

Brenda shrugged. She knew her friend meant well.

"No, I'm scared."

"What if?"

"If I am and Tony does want to know what then? Happy ever afters don't happen. Not to people like me, anyway. What if? What if I am? I could turn out like my mother."

Philippa squeezed her hand.

"I don't think so, Bren. Go on. Take a test."

Xxxxx

A/N please review


	4. Chapter 4

Testing times

"A pregnancy test?" Bren looked up, her eyes wide as she said the words. "Me?"

"Well." Philippa paused, suddenly embarrassed. "Yes. You. I mean you and Tony have? You know? You and Tony you live together now and well."

"He's had chemotherapy."

"So?"

"Well, it has left him a little." Bren frowned. "I want to say impressable. What's the word? Bouncy little word considering what it means."

"You mean impotent."

"That's it."

"Is he?"

"Sometimes. Don't tell him that I told you." Bren sat up, the room spinning for a moment. "Not every time."

"All men are sometimes. Even my Tom." She huffed. "Thinks it's because I'm not doing it for him but I don't think I'm going to change. He knows I prefer my nighty and a good Jackie Collins."

"Philippa."

"Bren."

"I'm 44 isn't that too old to have a baby? Isn't that a bit you know? Odd?"

"Why should it be odd? What's odd about having a baby with someone you love?" Phillipa frowned. "I never wanted children but if I did I'd want to be with a man who loved me the way Tony loves you."

Brenda nodded, wiping away a tear. Philippa looked up as the occupational health nurse walked into the room.

"I think your friend is right." The nurse sat down. "I've brought you this." She handed Brenda a small pale pink box before glancing at Philippa. "Tony is outside. He wants to see you."

"He should be in the canteen! We're short staffed with me up ere as it is! Blimey! Twink and Anita will be driving Dolly to distraction. Who's on the breakfast? Who's sorting out the toast? Jane will be there waiting, the lads. They need feeding."

"Bren."

"What?"

"Can Tony come in?"

"Yeah. Yeah course." Brenda looked at Philippa as if it wasn't even up for discussion. The nurse and Philippa left the room as Tony stepped in.

"Alright?"

"Yeah."

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No. Well yes, I'm always alright. Even when I'm not. Have to be, don I?" Brenda frowned. "Aren't we too old for this?"

"Charlie Chaplin had a baby at 90."

"Yeah, but could he pick the baby up?" Brenda watched as Tony smiled. He opened his arms, pulling her into his embrace.

"I love you, you daft bat. Whatever happens on the test. Baby or no baby we'll be OK." He kissed her gently as he held her. Bren pulled away.

"Ok, give us that test then. Best to find out." She took the test off him and stepped past him into the small bathroom. It was now or never.

Xxxxxx


	5. Chapter 5

The test

Brenda sat on the closed kid of the toilet. She still felt sick but she had a feeling it was more from nerves than everything else that was going on. She had been in an awful mood - which she knew wasn't like her. The younger girls and Jean had been the first to notice and she knew it was Twinkle who had first voiced the idea of pregnancy.

"Brenda Furlong." She sighed. "You failed every exam and test you've ever taken. Apart from food hygiene so why should this be any different?"

The little box on the edge of the sink in the impossibly small toilet cubicle seemed to taunt her. She knew Tony and Philippa were outside, worried and waiting. Two minutes and her fate was sealed. She bit her lip wondering if Tony really would stand by her.

Xxxxx

"Do you think she's alright in there?" Philippa asked. Tony shrugged. He knew what Bren was like. She had an inferiority complex that would win gold in the Olympics if self doubt was an Olympic event.

"Dunno."

"Are you? Alright I mean?"

"Aye."

"Tony?"

"Oh I dunno. I just want Bren to be ok. That's all." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "You know sumfing? She is the best thing to ever appen to me."

"Does she know that?" Philippa smiled.

"She should do." Tony paused. "She's a daft bat if she don't."

"Have you told her?"

Tony blushed. He shrugged his shoulders.

"After her mum dying, Scotland and the factory almost getting rid of the canteen don't you think she's had enough? You've been living together long enough."

"I want us to get married."

"Have you asked?"

"No."

"You pair really are useless!"

"A baby. Our baby." He smiled. "Never thought I'd be a dad. At my age!"

"How old are you?"

"47."

"Ancient then." Philippa rolled her eyes.

"Anita and Twinkle think so."

"They are nineteen and twenty one. Babies themselves. It's what Bren and you want that matters."

"Yeah." He agreed as the bathroom door opened. Bren smiled sadly, her hands twisting in front of her.

"Tony."

"Well?"

She smiled slightly as Philippa bit her lip.

"Positive."

Xxxxxxx


End file.
